1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a yeast raised doughnut. More particularly, it relates to a process for preparing a yeast raised doughnut by using a pressure cutter.
2. Prior Art
A conventional process for preparing a yeast raised doughnut wherein a dough is cut and formed by using a pressure cutter is carried out in the following manner.
Namely, 45 to 55 parts by weight of water is added to 100 parts by weight of a material composition and the mixture thus obtained is kneaded in a mixer at 28.degree. C. at a low speed for 2 minutes and then at a moderate to high speed for 8 to 10 minutes to thereby give a dough. This dough is fermented at 27.degree. C. under a humidity of 80 % for 10 to 20 minutes. Then the fermented dough is cut and formed into rings each weighing 45 g. by using a pressure cutter under an air-pressure of 2 to 4 kg/cm.sup.2. These rings are subjected to final proofing at 40.degree. C. under a humidity of 45 % for 40 to 50 minutes, subsequently fried in oil at 185.degree. C. for 2 minutes, i.e., one minutes per side and then cooled.
When the final proofing step in the conventional process as described above is omitted, the resulting yeast raised doughnut have a poor commercial value because of its various disadvantages such as (1) small volume; (2) high fat absorption; (3) wrinkled surface; (4) poor shape; (5) poor taste; and (6) short shelf life.
Therefore, the final proofing step is indispensable to the conventional process and thus it has been never supposed in the art to omit the same.
However, it is significantly advantageous to omit the final proofing step, which requires a specific apparatus, from the viewpoint of simplifying not only the process per se but also the equipment required therefor.
The inventor has proposed a process for preparing a yeast raised doughnut which involves no final proofing step in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 234,534/1985. Final proofing is carried out in order to inflate a dough, which has been once compressed by degassing, again. Therefore, as a matter of course, not only the final proofing step but also the degassing step is omitted in the above process. Thus a dough inflated by fermentation is gently extruded as such. That is to say, the fermented dough is immediately cut and formed with a pressure cutter and then fried in oil. However this process is disadvantageous in that the shape and grain of the obtained yeast raised doughnuts are not uniform but uneven, which makes the texture poor. In addition thereto, these yeast raised doughnuts per se do not always have satisfactory qualities. Furthermore this process considerably restricts the composition of starting materials.
Accordingly the inventor has conducted studies in order to establish a process for preparing an excellent yeast raised doughnut without effecting any final proofing. As a result, the inventor unexpectedly found that an excellent yeast raised doughnut can be prepared by daring to degass a dough which has never been subjected to any final proofing.
It has been believed in the art from a commonsense point of view that even a dough which is not degassed should be subjected to final proofing or that a dough inflated by fermentation should not be degassed but gently extruded in order to omit the final proofing step. Thus it has been beyond imagination that a dough which is compressed by degassing is subjected to no final proofing. Furthermore it is an epochmaking finding that a yeast raised doughnut superior to conventional ones in qualities can be obtained thereby.
According to the present invention, a yeast raised doughnut prepared by the process of the present invention is highly satisfactory in appearance, grain and texture, although the process of the present invention involves no final proofing step. In addition, the process of the present invention enables to always obtain uniform products.
Needless to say, it is desirable to prepare excellent products. In addition, it is significantly advantageous in mass production on an industrial scale to always obtain uniform products.
The process of the present invention further enables to select the composition of starting materials from a wide range.